Watson out of Ashes contention

Shane Watson injured his hamstring whilst bowling for Queensland © Getty Images

Shane Watson's chances of playing in this year's Ashes series are all but over after the Australia all-rounder suffered a torn hamstring during Queensland's Pura Cup game against South Australia on Saturday.

Watson walked disconsolately off the pitch at the Adelaide Oval soon after lunch on day two of the match, with scans later revealing that he had a five-centimetre tear in his left hamstring.

He had bowled Callum Ferguson with the second ball of the second session, but felt a twinge in his hamstring as he delivered the final ball of the over - a bouncer to Jason Gillespie.

Watson is unlikely to play again until Queensland's next Pura Cup match - against Tasmania in Hobart from January 19-22.

The injury leaves the door ajar for fellow all-rounder Andrew Symonds to build on his 11-Test career.

Watson slightly tore his left hamstring initially when bowling against Western Australia in a Ford Ranger Cup match in Perth on November 17 and was forced to withdraw from Australia's team for the first Ashes Test in Brisbane.

He also missed the Adelaide and Perth Tests, and this Pura Cup match was his comeback appearance.

"We'll just have to wait and see how he pulls up (on Sunday), but it's not great," Queensland coach Terry Oliver said.

"He's been cleared by Cricket Australia to play as a batsman with a runner, if needed (in the current match against South Australia). We'll monitor that tomorrow, but beyond that it's up to the medical people.

"I don't know the time-frame but I would imagine two or three weeks, at a guess.

"He's really disappointed. There was a light at the end of the tunnel for him and now that light has gone out - or all but gone out - so he's pretty down at the moment. He's just icing it and managing it professionally, as he would."

Watson scored only five, batting at number three, in Queensland's first-innings score of 192 against South Australia, but he had figures of 2-13 from three lively overs, having bowled Mark Cosgrove (20) and Ferguson (seven) early in SA's first innings of 171.